Speaking-tube



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1 C. A. BARTLIFF.

SPEAKING TUBE.

Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

W-ITJV'ESSES 1.7V V'EN TOR 6 04 @W I Wm flttorney AN DREW B.GRAHAM.PHOTO-LITHO.WASHING1ON. D.C

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) G. A. BARTLIFF.

SPEAKING TUBE. N0. 553,825. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

WITNESSES .zlttorney AN DREW B GRAN/WI. FHOTO-LITHO.WASI(I NGTON D CUNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

CHARLES A. BARTLIFF, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SPEAKING-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,825, dated February4, 1896.

Application filed May 2, 1895. Serial No. 547,876. (No model.)

To (ti/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BARTLIFF, a citizen of the Dominion ofCanada, and a resident of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State ofTennessee, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Telephone Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows the application of the invention to a building. Fig. 2 isa front view of annunciator-board, bellows, &c., used at centralstation. Figs. 3 and 4: are front and side views, respectively, of thephone used in the diiferent rooms. Fig. 5 is a section throughmouthpiece, gravity-trap, &c., connected to each tube at centralstation. Fig. 6 is a similar View of the mouthpiece, trap, &c.,connected to the other ends of tubes in the different rooms. Fig. 7 is asection through bellows. Fig. 8 is a detail of mouthpiece provided withdouble ear-tubes.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements innon-electric or tube telephones, the object being to provide the tubeswith an improved annunciator and mouthpieces, also with means for makingcalls or signals without using the mouth; and the invention consists inthe novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letterA designates anannunciator-board, which is to be suitably located in the building andto which all the speaking-tubes from the respective rooms or apartmentsare conducted. Each tube is provided at the annunciator with amouthpiece B, which is numbered to denote the particular apartment withwhich it communicates. These mouthpieces consist each of a tube which issecured to the end of the line-tube and fitted at its outer end with themouthpiece proper, B, which is usually of porcelain. Upon the upper sideof the tube B is a whistle C, which communicates with the tube by asmall opening.

E is a gravity-trap, which closes the mouthpiece when the whistle issounded, but which is normally open. Said trap comprises a metal diskhaving at its lower portion a back- Wardly-bent tongue E, which forms ahook for engagement with a small wire I), which is secured across theinterior of the tube B, forming a pivot on which the trap swings. Thelip E is bent at f to form a broad bearing, on which the trap standswhen in position to close the orifice of the mouthpiece.

f is a second transverse thin wire, which prevents the trap from fallingtoo far backward.

In operation when a call is made from any room the current of airstrikes against the rear face of the trap and closes it, permitting theentire current to go through the whistle, which is sounded. Owing to thebroad bearing f on which the trap stands, it will remain closed, andwill thus indicate to the attendant at a glance which room gave thecall, as all the other traps are open. The attendant or person at theannunciator, before replying to the call, gives a short quick blow inthe mouthpiece, which opens the trap ready for conversation to becarried on.

In making a call from the annunciator to any apartment the mouth may beused, but this practice is objectionable for the reason that themoisture of the breath dampens the tube-walls and retards thesound-waves. I therefore provide in suitable relation to theannunciator-board a bellows G, to whose exhaust is permanently fitted aflexible tube H of a length sufficient to reach the mouthpiece of anyone of the series of tubes, its free end having a nozzle g of rubber orsimilar material, which is adapted to closely fit the mouthpieces. Thisexhaust-tube should be pro vided at some point therein with anoutwardly-opening valve Gr.

It will be observed that the mouth portions above described are welladapted for inclividual use as well as in the annunciator. In.

some cases it will be desirable to have the trap fall back of itselfafterthe whistle is sounded, and to effect this I form the tongue E, as

shown in Fig. (3, with a short bend at f instead of with the broad facef.

I will now describe the instrument with which each tube is provided inthe several rooms.

K designates a case which in general appearance may be similar to thetelephoneboxes in common use. Into the upper portion. of this case runsthe line-tube L, which is fitted with a mouth portion M of the following construction:

To the end of the line-tube L is attached a tube whose outer end isfitted with a mouthpiece on, which is provided with a trap N, which isof the same construction or arrangement as those of the mouthpieces Bbefore described, and which may be arranged to remain closed or to fallas soon. as the call has been made. Immediately behind said trap isconnected a flexible ear-tube attachment 0, havingan earpiece oand awhistle, being similar to the attachment. forming a part of my PatentNo. 5()1,-t87, granted July 18, 18%. Over the junction of the ear-tubewith the mouth portion is placed a deflector I which forms two separatepassages in the mouth portion, opening at one end to the. line-tube and:at their other ends leading oneto the mouthpieceiand the other to theear attachment. Formed through said shield near the mouthpiece is asmall opening 1), the purpose of which is to throw air against the trapto close it in sending a call to the opposite end. The deflector is sohigh that without this hole the back-pressure of .air from the bellowsnow to be described might not be su'llicient to close the trap. Behindthe deflector the tube has a second branch which extends down throughthe case to a bellowsR, which is similar to the one before described.here this branch joins the main tube, a hinged trap S is provided whichnormally closes the opening of the branch and prevents sound-wavescoming or going from entering said branch.

The operation of this instrument is as follows: To make a call, theperson simply works the lever of the bellows, which gives the signal atthe opposite end, the blast from the bellows throwing the trap Supwardly, and deflecting such blast to line. He then places the ear-tubeto his ear and awaits the reply. \Vhen a call is made from the oppositeend, the. trap S isalrea-dy closed, the trap N will be automaticallyclosed, and the blast will pass into the ear-tube to the whistlethereof.

Fig. 8 shows a mouthpiece having double ear-tubes, one for each ear, anddesigned i'or use when there is considerable surrounding noise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecu re by Letters Patent, is

i. The herein-described mouthpiece i'or speaking-tubes, having anair-whistle mounted thereon, and a normally-open trap in front of saidwhistle and arranged to close the orilice of the mouthpiece, said traphaving at its rear lower portion a backwardly -bent tongue, atfulcrum-wire loosely engaged by said tongue and a back-stop for saidtrap, substantially as spcciiied.

2. The combination with the mouthpiece of a tube-telephone, of a trapwhich is arraugwl to close the oriiice of said mouthpiece but which isnormally open, said trap cmnprisin a disk havingatits rear lower portiona back wardly-bent tongue which loosely engages a fulcrum, said tonguebeing bent to form a broad horizontal portion which constitutes a restwhich causes the said trap to remain erect in front of the said orificeto give the desired signal by its presence until it is forcibly thrownback substantially as specified.

3. The combination withthemouth portion of a speaking-tube, 01' a branchpipe connected therewith, a bellows connected to said branch pipe, and ahinged deflector in said mouth portion and normally closing the open ing into said branch, substantially as specified.

4. In a tube-telephone, the mouth portion having a pivoted or hingedtrap arranged to close the orifice of its mouthpiece, an eartubeattachment behind said trap, a deflector over the junction of saidattachment with the mouth portion, and having a small openingtherethrough, a second branch behind said deflector, a hinged trap anddeflector normally closing the entrance into said branch, and thebellows. connected to said branch, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. BAR'ILIFF. \Vitnesses:

PHILIP C. MASI,

inonon II. PARMELEE.

